Mixing device to produce a combustible mixture



lll

Patented `luly 21, 1925.

FRANKLIN H. WOLEVER, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MIXING DEVICE TO PBGDUCE A COMBUSTIBLE t/IXTRE.

Application filed March 6, 1920.

To all 10.710771. it may concern.'

it known that I, FRANKLIN H. lVoL- avec, a citizen of the United States,and

a resident of Chicago, in` the county of' Cook and State of Illinois,have invented certain neu' and useful Improvements in Mixing Devices toProduce a Combustible iziixture; and l do hereby declare that thefollowing is aV full, clear, and exact descrip-Y tion thereof, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters ofreference marked thereon, which forni a part of this specification.

rillus invention relates to a novel automatic mixing` device adapted foruse for automatically controlling the admixture of the constituents ofburning mixture, as thev mixture of air and a natural or artilicial orvaporized oil, such mixture to be burned for heating to a hightemperature muliiers, furnace, boilers, and the like. The' device is soarranged that it can be used vvith a fan blower as a means forpropelling through the mixing device free air and air mixed with gas,-the gas being automaticontrolled by an automatically opc valve, which,in turn, is controlled by partial vacuum and impact pressure ac.- tionof air flow against the opposite sides of a variable surface perforatedelement that is arranged in the path of the moving air and surrounded byan orifice 19 between it and tue Wall of the conduit through which theair flows, said parts being so arranged as to afford and maintainvariable impact surfaces on the said -element to correctly oper'- atethe gas valve to mix the proper proportion of the hydrocarbon element ofthe fuel with the air.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide an vimproved mixingdevice Yfor the purpose set forth, in which the constituents of themixture` air and gas,` may be regulably controlled andl in which theproportions of tue constituents may be maintained' constant for anygiven regulation of the device to control volume of the mixture.

further objec nro-ride novel means wherein and whereby valve is arrangedto be under the co ol of the moving body of the air con# ti t of thefuel as it enters the mixing the air actingby impact and vacuum st animpact element that controls the of the invention is to" Serial No.363,682.

gas valve, so that the moving body of air or fuel constituent, whichisultimately mixed with the gas serves prior to said mixture to controlthe supply of the Vgas constitnent of the fuel.

A further object' of the invention is to provide a novel impact elementin a device of this character that is so arranged as to vary the openingpull on the gas valve by varying its surface against which the airimpacts.

another object of the invention is to provide a` novelmeans of varyingthe effective force of the pressureV of the moving" column of air on theimpact element, which consists in forming the said element With a seriesof apertures and resultant solid areas, and providing means for varyingthe area of said apertures and thereby the areas of the solidportions ofsaid elements.

Another object of the invention, in respect of the impact control ofythe gas valve `just described, is to provide means for varying theaction of force to variably' control the opening and closing movemento-.f the gas valve.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a mechanism of thischaracter, means to positively pull the constituent elements into thedevice and discharge them therefrom, embracing a fan'bloiver at the exitend of the device.v

@their objects of the invention are to further improve and simplifymixingV devices for the general purpose set forth and to adapt the samefor the specific purpose of use 'in high temperatureV mulflers,furnaces, ooilers, and the like, and the invention consists in thecombination and arrangement of the' parts shown in the drawings anddescribed in the specification, and is pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings;

Figure l is a partial plan and partial horizontal section of furnaceequipped with a mixing apparatus embodying m.T7 invention.V

Figure 2 is anv axial section of the mixing apparatus.

Figures S and i are details lof the variable surface impact element forcontrolling the supply of the gas constituent of the fuel to the mixingchamber.

The apparatus shown inthe drawings ilwhich surround a space in thefurnace to receive articles to be heated, and where there is providedbetween said walls and the outer heavier walls 12 of the furnace acombustion chamber or chambers 13 in which the fuel is burned; saidfurnace .having an exit 14 fory the products of combustion and a dooropening 15, closed by any suitable form of door.

16 designates as a whole the improved mixing device embodying myinvention. lt is best shown in Figure 2 in respect of its generalconstruction and as shown in Figure 1 is adapted to the furnace.Y lt ismade as follows:

17 designates as a whole a tubular body or casing in which is formed amixing chamber 18 for the fuel constituent-s, a controller chamber 19,and an air inlet chamber 2O provided with inlet ports 21 to receive airat normal pressure. Said parts are herein shown as made up of a numberof separately formed elements and fixed together as a unitary structurebut may, if desired, be made of a single casting.

22 designates the casing of a fan blower, the inlet opening 23 of whichcoincides with the opening of the chamber 18, the casing being bolted tothe blower casing. In the fan blower is located a fan 24 of any suitableform that is fixed to rotate on a shaft 25 that is mounted in anoverhanging bearing 26 formed on one wall of the casing. The outletopening 22 of said fan blower casing communicates with an outlet branch26a by which the fuel mixture is conducted to the furnace, as throughand by the medium of manifolds`27, 27. ln the present instance, the fuelmixture is directed to opposing combustion chambers 13, and two of suchmanifolds are provided, having outlets 28 that discharge throughopenings 29 of the enclosing walls 12 of the furnace, suitable tuyers orair mixing devices being, in practice, associated with the outlet endsof the branches 28 and the openings 29 to supply the desired mixture ofair to the fuel at the burning points. Valves 30 separately control theflow of the fuel'mixture from the manifolds to the combustion chamber.TWhen arranged as described, the manifolds are connected to the outlet26a of the blower 22 by means of branches 32, 32.

At the end of the mixing casing remote from the fan blower is a casing35 in which is formed a gas chamber 36. Exterior to said casing 35isanother casing 37 to form a receiving chamber 38 for gas that isdelivered from a suitable source of supplyl through an automaticregulating valve designated as a whole by 39, with a valve 40 betweenitv and the receiving chamber 38. The construction and operation of theautomatic valve 39 is such'that gas under constant pressure can besupplied to the charnber 38, the valve 40 being designed to more or lessthrottle the flow of gas to the receiving chamber 38.

Between said chambers 38 and 36 is a port 40a which is controlled by avalve 41, in the nature of a poppet valve, the valve having an annulartapered face to engage a tapered seat around .said port. Said valve isprovided with a stem 42 which extends through Ouide 43 of thecarburizercasing and into the controller chamber 19. Fitted to said valve stem insaid controller chamber are a pair of discs 45, axially pierced by saidstem and confined thereon by nuts 46, the end of the stem being threadedto receive said nuts. Said threaded end of the stem is also guided by aguide bar 48. The said controller chamber 19 is' herein shown as cylin-.dric and the discs 45 are also cylindric and are made of such diameteras to less than lill the cross section of the controller chamber 19,thus providing the annular orifice 19 of constant area for air flow.Said discs are provided with a. plurality of openings 50 (Figure 4)which are adapted, by relative rotation of the discs, to be brought intoand out of register, as indicated in Figure 4, so that the discs whenthus associated and fastened to the stem 42 by the nuts 46 constitute avariable surface impact element for a purpose herein described. It maybe said at this point, however, that when the openings 50 are fully inregister, the discs present a minimum impact surface facing the airinlet ports 21, the air passing through said openings and through theorifice 19 on its way to the mixing chamber, and when the discs arerelatively angularly displaced about their common axis, the impactsurface is increased, the maximum impact surface being obtained when theopenings are wholly out of register. The ported discs are held inv fixedadjusted positions by the nuts 46. f

52 designates a gas chamber which surrounds the mixing chamber 18, andis shown as concentric therewith, between the controller chamber 19 andthe mixing chamber 18.. and its inner rwall is provided with aplurali-ty of ports 53, through which communication isI had between thegas chamber 52 andY the mixing chamber 18, Said gas chamber 52 isconnected to the chamber 36 byV one or more passages 55 formed in thewall ol the casing, or otherwise, said passage being such that entering'from the chamber 38 through the chamber 36 is :tree to pass to thechamber 52 when the valve 41 is open and is also tree to pass to themixing chamber.

Fixed or connected to the end ot the stem 42 remote from the impactelement, as by means ci a pivot pin 58 is an adjusting lever 57 Athat isfulcrunied at 58 to a fixed member 59 ot the casing. The said adjustinglever 58 is provided on its outer edge with-a series ot notches GO whichare adapted to bc engaged by a hook Gl that is fixed to one end ot acontroller spring 62, the other end ot which controller spring is connnected to a threadeflL stud G3, that is threaded in an adjusting plug G4whereby 'thc tension ot' spring GQ may be varied. T he plug tits with agas tight joint between it and the wall ot casing 3i'. A cap 65 threadedon a tubular flange or boss 6", coaxial with the stud 68, serves tofurther seal up the stud 63 against leakage and also to enclose thestud. Furthermore, the force by which the valve 41 is held against theseat may be 'further varied by changing the hook 61 of spring 62 fromone to another ot the notches 60 in the lever 57.

Located in the mixing chamber 18 is a damper valve 70, having the formoit a buttertly valve. Said valve is adapted to control the volume otthe fuel mixture from the chamber into the casing 22 of the tan blower,and it may be operated by an exterior hand lever 71, shown in Figure 2,or by means ot a thermostatic control associated with the turnace.

ln operation the blower provides the motive power by which the air isdrawn through the mixing device and said blower is operated at aconstant speed, and the volume oit air mixed vvith the correct amount otgas for perfect combustion is varied by partially closing the butterflyvalve 70.

The discs act as a controlling means 'for the gas that enters throughthe regular valve S9 thence into chamber 38 within which the is kept ata constant pressure through the controlling action ot the pressurecontrol valve 39.

The discs 45 are provided with a series out closable openings 50 whichare used to regulate the amount ot air that is passing through theseopenings, and in conibination with the fixed annular oiilice 19 limitsthe flow ot air to less than will pass through the outlet ot the fan at22.

rlhe sum total of the combined areas of openings 21 will be equal or hegreater than the area ot the blower opening 2:72. 'lheretore, air thatis discharging through the outlet Q2 will not be retarded by reason otany restriction of areas, whilst the air that is passing through theseries of openings 50 within discs 45 together with the lixed orilice19- around the disc will retard-the flow of air to the extent that aslight partial vacuum will exist on the blower. side of discs 45, andthis will cause the discs 45 to move slightly in the direction of theblower intake, thus opening the valve 41 against the spring tension 62and allowingthe gas at constant pressure to flow around valve 4l' andthrough seat 40a, thence into chamber' 36 to chamber 52 and throughholes-53, joining the body of air within chamber 18.-l

rlhe valve 41 is held against thel gas pressure inA chamber 38 throughthe act-ion' otjthe s ring (32, and its adjusting screw 631nay bescrewed in or out to lessen or strengthengthe spring resistance in 62.Further adjustn'ient may be iii-ade byL changing the springy action, tothe varied positions of notches 60, lesseni ing the leverage orincreasing the action on fulcrum 58, causing greater or lesser pressureof valve 41 against seat 40a. Thisk adjustment, together with theaperturecontrol in discs45, will admit alarger range ofV va'- riation tosuit the fuel value of gas Vand its relation to the flow of air throughthe mixing chamber 18 and out through theblower at 22. y Therefore, itis evident that with a tree flowing current ot air through the-openings21 and a restricted flow through thediscs 45 and through the fixedloriii'ce 19 and into the channelv 18, with the position of the buttertlyvalve full open, there will exist a partial vacuum on the blower side'oidiscs 45 which will hold the valve 41 away from the seat 40L and causeenough gas to mix with trie air 'flowingthrough openings 21 to give aproper mixture at the maximum capacity of the apparatus. Should now thebutter'ly valve be partially closed, the air current in chamber 18 ispartially throttled, causing less air to flow through the openings 21and lessening the partial vacuum on blower side ot discs 45, causing itto move backward under the influence off spring tension 62, thuscorrespondingly throttling the gas supplyv and keeping the mix constantunder a lesser-flow through the mixing device and through blower orifice22 into the furnace.

ln addition to the unbalanced atmospheric power-acting against the disc45 there is also an impinging power of airy due to velocity oi" airtravelling in a changed direction while passing through the orifice 19and through openings 50 orP the discs 45, vhich also is an. aid to thegas regulating formation. y The regulating valve 39 furnishes gas at aconstant pressure to the chamber 88, and in starting, this pressure willbe low. AThe fan 24 is now operated, either by a motor on the l'an shaftor by a belt drive and the damper valve 70 is full open, or in theposition shown in Figure 2. The gas valve 41 is now opened and anignition test is made at the blower outlet or in the furnace. If theresultant mixture of gas is lean, the cap 65 is removed and the plug 64is adjusted so that the tension of the spring 62 is relieved to permitthe valve 41 to be opened with a lesser impact pressure. lf thisadjustment be not sufficient, the hook 61 of spring 62 may be movedtowards the fulcrum 58. l/Vhen the parts are so adjusted the operationof the fan 24 has the effect of f drawing the air through the chambers20,

19, and 18, producing a low pressure in chamber 18 in rear of impactelement 45, and, by reason of the fact that the impact element is in thepath of the moving air, the kinetic energy of the moving body of airplus the pressure due to the partial vacuum in the chamber 18 acts onthe face lof Jthe impact element and serves to open the valve 41, aportion of the air passing through the openings 50 of the impact elementand a portion thereof through the space 19. around said impact element.The air thus set in motion by the fan is in the chamber 18 mixed withthe gas constituent of the fuel which is supplied to the chamber 52through the chambers 3G and 52 and the ports 53. If it should be foundthat a sufiicient volume of gas is not thus drawn into the mixingchamber andmixed with the air to produce the desired mixture, or moreair is being pulled through the device than desirable to produce a goodburning imixture,l

the discs of the impact element 45 will be released and angularlyadJusted so as to 1ncrease or decrease the active surface of said impactelement and thereby increase or de-V crease the effective pull, due tothe kinetic venergy acting on said impact element and the partial vacuumchamber 18 to open the valve 41.

By reason of the fact that the pressure within chamber 38 is a constantpressure Vand by reason of the fact that the valve 41 is under thedelicate control of the elements 62, 57, and 45, it will be observedthat said elements may be adjusted for an accurate proportioning of theVgas to they air to produce a good burning mixture, notwithstanding thetotal volume of the mixture which is drawn from the carburizer throughor by the fan or blower, this total volume being varied by the openingand closing of the valve. damper 70.

I claim as my invention:

1. A mixing device provided with an air and a controllable constantpressure gas inlet, a valve to control the latter inlet and a variablesurface impact element acted upon by the kinetic energy ofair flow tocontrol said valve.

2. A mixing device having separate inlets for air and gas, a valve tocontrol the gas inlet and a variable surface element acted upon by theVkinetic energy of the flow of air through said air inlet opening tocontrol said valve. Y

3. A carburizer provided with an air and a controllable, constantpressure, gas inlet, a valve to control the latter inlet and anapertured, variable surface impact element acted upon by the kineticenergy of'air flow to control said valve.

4. A mixing device having separate inlets for air and gas, a valve tocontrol the gas inlet, a variable surface element acted upon by thekinetic energy of the flow of air through said air inlet opening tocontrol said, valve and having means to increase and decrease its areaagainst which the airacts and provided with means to fixedly maintainsaid element in vadjusted positions.

5. A mixing device having separate inlets for air and gas, a valve tocontrol the gas inlet, a variable surface element acted upon by thekinetic energy of the flow of air through said air inlet opening tocontrol said valve and comprising perforated flatwise engaging discsadapted by relative angular displacement to vary the registration of theperforations of the discs. Y

G. A mixing device having separate inlets for air and gas, a valve tocontrol the gas inlet, stein, connected to the valve and axially guidedand a variable surface impact element connected to said stem in the pathof the air flow to said mixing device.

7. A mixing' device having separate inlets .for air and gas, a valve tocontrol the gas inlet, a stem connected to the valve and axially guided,two iatwise engaging perforated discs mounted on said stem in the pathof the air fiow to said carburizer and angularly displaceable to varythe registration of the perforations therein and means on the stem toclamp said discs together.

8. A mixing device comprising a mixing chamber provided with an air`inlet and therebetween with a controller chamber, a gas inlet fordelivering` gas to said mixing chamber and provided with a controlling'valve, and a variable surface impact element in the controller chamberand connected to said rvalve to control the open position of the valve.

9. A carburizer comprising a mixing chamber provided with an air inletand therebetween with a controller chamber, a gas inlet for deliveringgas to said mixing chamber and provided with a controlling valve, and anapertured, variable surface impact element in the controller chamber andconnected to said valve to control the open position of the valve.

10. A mixing device comprising a mixing chamber provided with an airinlet and therebetween with a controller chamber, a

gas inlet for delivering gas to said mixing chamber and provided with acontrolling valve, a 'ariable surface impact clement in the` controllerchamber Vand connected to said valve to control the open position of thevalve, and means to induce flow of air and gas to the mixing chamber.

11. A mixing` device comprising al mixing chamber provided with an airinlet and therebetween with a controller chamber, a gas inlet fordelivering gas to said mixing chamber and provided with a` controllingvalve, a variable. surface impact element in the controller chamber andconnected to said valve to control. the` open position of the valve, anda. volume control valve in said mixing chamber.

12. A. mixingdevice comprising a mixing chamber provided with an airinlet and therebetween. with a cont-roller chamber, a gas inlet fordelivering gas to said mixing chamber and provided with a controllingvalve, ay variable surfaceI impact element in the controller chamber andconnected to said valve to control the open posit-ion of the valve and afan blower connected to the outlet of said mixing chamber and having adischarge outlet leading to a place of use of the fuel mixture.

13. A mixing device pro-vided with an air and a gas inlet, a valve tocontrol the latter inlet, a variable surface impact element acted uponby the kine-tic energy of air flow to control said valve and adjustingmeans acting on the valve in opposition to the impact element to varythe force required to hold said valve open.

1li. A mixing device provided with an air and a gas inlet, a valve tocontrol the latter inlet, a variable surface impact element acted uponby the kinetic energy of air flow to cont-rol said valve, a controllermember pivotally connected to al fixed part and loosely connected at oneend to the valve, and an adjustable yielding element con nected to theother end of said pivoted member.

15. A mixing device provided with an air and a gas inlet, a valve tocontrol the latter inlet, a. variable surface impact element acted uponby the] kinetic energy of air flow to control said valve, a leverpivoted to a fixed support and connected at one end to said valve, aspring connected to the other end of said lever and acting to hold thevalve seated and means to adjust the seating force of said spring.

16. A mixing device provided with an air and a gas inlet, a valve tocontrol the latter inlet, a variable surface impact element acted uponby the kinetic energy of air flow to control said valve, a leverpivotecl to al fixed support and connected at one end to said valve andprovided near its other end with longitudinally spaced. notches and a aburning` mixture,

spring anchored to ay fixed part and having a hook element to separatelyengage said notches.

17. A mixing device provided with an air and a. gas inlet, a` valve tocontrol the latter inlet, a variable surface impact elementi acted uponby the kinetic energy of air flow to control said valve, a lever pivotedto a fixed support and connected at one end v"to said valve and providednear its other end with longitudinally spaced vnotches and means to varythe seating force of said spring.

18.711 mixing device comprising a mixing chamber provided with an airinlet, a gas chamber in which gas is maintained at a constant pressure,ay gas distributing chamber surrounding said mixing chamber andcommunicating therewith, a valve between said. receiving and saiddistributing chambers to control the flow of gas to the latter chamber,and a variable surface impact element between said mixing chamber andits air inlet andconnected to and controlling said gas valve.

19. A mixing device comprising amixing chamber, a fan blower connectedto the outlet end thereof, an air inlet chamber in communication withsaid mixing chamber having ports in communication with air at constantpressure, a gas receiving chamber having means to supply gas thereto atconstant pressure, a gas distributing chamber surrounding andcommunicating with said mixing chamber, a conduit connecting thedistributing chamber with the gas receiving chamber, a valve to controlflow of gas through said conduit, and a variable surface impact elementin the path of the airt flow from the air inlet to the mixing chamberand connected to and controlling said valve.

20. A mixing device comprising a mixing chamber provided with an airinlet, a gas chamber in which gas is maintained at a constant pressure,a gas distributing chamber surroundingsaid mixing chamber andcommunicating therewith, a valve between said receiving and saiddistributing chambers to control the flow of gas tothe latter chamber, avariable surface impact element between said mixing chamber and its airinlet and connected to and controlling said gas valve, and a volumecontrol valve in said mixing chamber.

21. In al mixing device for mixing air with a hydrocarbon constituent toproduce a. burning mixture, a va-lved gas inlet, and a variable surfaceimpact device in the path of the flow of air to the point of mixturethereof with the hydrocarbon constituent to control said valved gasinlet.

22. 1n a mixing device for mixing air with a. hydrocarbon constituent toproduce an air inlet conduit,

Vrear-Ward air HOW and at its other side to a partial vacuum to controlsaid valv-ed gas inlet.

23. In a mixing device for mixing air With a hydrocarbon constituent toproduce a burning mixture, a valved gas inlet, a

. variable surface impact device in the path.

of the loW of' air to the point of mixture thereof with the hydrocarbonconstituent to control said valved Vgas inlet, and means acting` inopposition to said impact element tending to hold the gas inlet valveclosed.

24. In a mixing device, an air conduit, and a blower connected to theoutlet end thereof, of a gas pressure control, a valve having means toautomatically control it by the kinetic pressure of air acting againstan impact element in said conduit connected to said valve, and a. dampercontrol in said air conduit to reduce the volume of air and toautomatically reduce the kinetic power on the impact element which inturn operates said valve inY the proper position to produce the` propervmixture of the fuel constituents.

In Witness whereof l cla-im the foregoing as my invention, l h'eeuntoappend my signature this 26th day oit February', 1920.

FRANKLIN H. VOLEVER.

